Urgent Prayer and Help Request for MistyCA's Hospitalized Vietnam Veteran Brother

MistyCA

[Jim Robinson]

Here is the request from MistyCA:

I need help. My brother is in the hospital in Santa Barbara. He is dying. He has 10% heart capacity left after having (since Vietnam) three surgeries to replace infected valves and a resection to remove diseased tissue. The most recent surgery was done in Palo Alto by Dr. Burdin two years ago. He has chronic infections and needed a transplant but the VA denied the transplant.

Now he is sitting in the hospital in Santa Barbara waiting for the VA to get off their butt and get him in a VA facitility so he can get the care he needs. Here is his story in his own words.... dang...I can't remember how to make a link.. http://members.cox.net/jkk/vet.htm

This vet needs some freeper noise and help. Is there anything anyone can do here to get someone to move the VA to help him? Please. :( Can someone help me do a thread for my brother?

[MistyCA]

Thank you. I don't think one can be critical of those who provide the care at the hospitals. It is the bureaucracy that makes things difficult. My brother has received some excellent care over the years. Yes, there have been some mistakes and one takes a long time getting over having their records lost, etc, etc, etc. Many of the facilities have been vastly improved over the years. My sister did part of her residency at a VA facility and she is calling in all her chips right now too. They still call her to help them out with certain things and hopefully she will have a little clout.

ANOTHER QUESTION:

Suppose the VA continues to refuse the transplant. Does anyone know what we do to get Medicare to step in? And supposing that isn't an option, can't we just pay for it to be done?

[68 grunt]

My prayers are with your's, Jim.

[trussell]

Urgent Prayer ping.

Please post your replies to Jim Robinson or MistyCA.

MistyCA- I can't help with the VA either, but you have my prayers.

[Alamo-Girl]

I also cannot help with the VA, but I do join in prayer for MistyCA's brother!

[swany]

Prayers for your brother.

[two23]

--Two or more gathered--amen

[catfur]

Prayers being offered for your brother.

[Diver Dave]

Your brother has been on my prayer list for quite some time as well as you and yours. Not about to stop now, FRiend.

[MistyCA]

:) Thanks, Dave.

[strela]

I will check with the Service Officer at my VFW post first thing tomorrow and see if there is some way that the VA can be "persuaded" to pull their thumb out and help your brother. I'll Freepmail you when I find out anything.

Meanwhile, prayers out for him, and for you.

[strela]

(tomorrow = today. Its 1:30 in the bloody morning ...)

[LeeMcCoy]

Heavenly Father, by faith we are asking Your divine help in healing this man. By faith, we are asking that You stretch forth Your hands and heal this brother. Stabilize his heart, calm his fears, support every vital function within this man's body. Release the aid and assistance he has needed for so very long. We ask these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ...Amen!

[radu]

Thanks for the ping, Tonk.

I'm so sorry to hear about your brother, Misty. I wish I had some suggestions of help but it looks like others here have had some great ones already. I hope everything works out. It just sickens me the way the VA treats (or I should say "doesn't treat") our veterans. An absolute shame.

I can, and will, keep him in my prayers.

[Quix]

Great suggestion.

[Quix]

Forgot to ping you.

[MistyCA]

Thank you, Strela.

[MistyCA]

Thank all of you and all of the others who have shown such kindness and compassion. I know things will work out for the best because I trust the wisdom of God, but it's so hard to know that my brother has put his trust in someone who doesn't seem to be doing a thing to deserve it right now. He is optomistic that somehow he will get the heart he should have had all these years since he got sick in Vietnam. He is angry. No one can blame him for that, but I sure do have a lot of sorrow that he may leave us with nothing but anger. I hope God grants him the peace he needs to get through this. He has two little kids, one who he has raised since an infant whose father ran out of him. He is 10 now. And a daughter who is 7. I hope God grants them the strength to get through this. And his wife, a young woman who I think the world of. I am scared, but not nearly as afraid as I know they all are. :(

[piasa]

bttt

[strela]

And just what are YOU doing up at this un(deity)ly time of the morning? At least I have an excuse - a headache that's about to liquefy the inside of my skull. You need to get your rest.

[patriciaruth]

You might wish to get him a blood test to find out precisely what his gamma globulin level is. He may have a rare immune deficiency that doesn't allow him to make antibodies to the germs well. If that is the case, then immune globulin given IV along with antibiotics may make a big difference in halting infections.

My prayers are added to the rest. All my love to you both.

Patty